posthumous
by Whitecrest19
Summary: It was funny. He was dying. Spoilers up to Chapter 424. Bit of a Team 7 fic. No pairings, yaoi, etc.


'Tis a sad time in the Naruto world. This story is dedicated to Hatake Kakashi, who, in the manga, is dying. Though I do pray that this story will not become true when the next chapter comes out, I really wanted to write something along these lines. So, here you have it.

The song featured is called Heaven, and it is owned by Angels and Airwaves.

Naruto is not owned by Angels and Airwaves, but by Masashi Kishimoto.

Tell me what you think.

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posthumous

_post-hu-mous_ (adjective): arising, occurring, or continuing after one's death

* * *

i will run the streets and hostile lands

i will touch the rain, with all i have

i will breathe the air, to scream it loud

my feet will never touch the ground

It was funny.

He was dying.

It seemed everyone always went on before him, traveling on to that other place before he was even a step or two along the path.

But, it looked like it was finally his turn. He wasn't sure if he should be joyous or heartbroken. There were friends and sensei and family up there, but he had friends and students and teammates down here.

Once, he would have gladly have gone from this world, but now, not so much. He had people to watch over, kids turning into adults that still needed a bit of help, friends to laugh with and comfort, a village to which his heart belonged.

He had always thought that he would die in a battle in some godforsaken corner of the world, outnumbered dozens to one, and then left beaten, cold and alone, and no one would find his rotted corpse until the winter snows had blown away.

Instead, here he was, lying in a pile of rubble in his own village, the village he had been born in and raised in and lived in and owed his whole life to.

Ironic.

But as he watched Chouji rush away, carrying precious information that could, would, save the lives of all he cared about, Kakashi felt a sense of comfort. He hadn't died for nothing – his death meant that all those he would be leaving behind could continue to grow and love and cry and live.

He felt it was a damn good thing to die for.

if you see the light break through the clouds

and fire up the distant towers

where the world will begin

exactly how it ends

_Kakashi, do you know what each shinobi in this village carries inside of them?_

_No. _

_Any guesses?_

_A heart, liver, lungs, brain, stomach…_

_Okay, okay. But what I mean is, each has something more than just blood and tissue. Something far more important too, that helps keep them going much more than a heart ever could._

_What?_

_The village calls it the Will of Fire. Each shinobi carries the flame deep within their soul, where it burns as bright as a thousand stars. _

_What does it do?_

_Well, those with the Will of Fire have the burning desire to protect the village. All those in the village who they care about, friends, family, and everyone else are the most important things. To care for, protect, and even die for those people. That is the Will of Fire._

_Do you have the Will of Fire?_

_I like to think that I do. Whenever I look at the Hokage Mountain, I am reminded of all the people in this village I love and care for, and I feel something inside that makes me want to protect them with all of my strength, no matter the consequence to me. Now, tell me, Kakashi. Do you have it too?_

Yes.

And so did the next generation.

His students, one in which the Will of Fire burned the brightest and strongest of all.

Naruto. Kakashi was damned positive that the kid would become Hokage, and be the best leader the Village Hidden in the Leaves had ever seen. His bright blue eyes and blazing blonde hair, so much like his father before him, would become known across the shinobi world. He would be a role model, a hero, a father. He would be a legend.

Sakura. Kakashi knew she would be greater than even Lady Tsunade, become a medic-nin renowned the world over. And she would stick with Naruto through thick and thin, because he could see it in her depthless green eyes whenever she looked at her teammate. She would grow with him, fighting and learning beside him, no matter what came at them. And when he became Hokage, she would still be there with him.

Kakashi could see them both in the future, standing on the Hokage Mountain, holding hands and looking out over their village, and remembering all that they had gone through, and where they were now. And that flame inside them would grow and engulf everyone whom they would meet, and it would continue burning and spreading long, long after they gone.

And Sasuke. The cold-hearted, power-hungry child who had run away and grown up just like he himself would have if it weren't for Obito. Kakashi almost cringed at the similarities between them. And he prayed, he prayed to all the gods and whatever the hell else was out there, that Sasuke would one day turn around and finally realize that he was wrong. Because Kakashi felt that the boy still had a small ember glowing inside him. Maybe one day when he would meet again with Naruto and Sakura, for they would definitely meet again, he would see in their eyes all the loss and pain and hurt and joy that they had been through without him, and maybe he would realize that they still cared for him even after all he had done and had planned to do.

Kakashi prayed that Team 7 would once again become Team 7, and if they did, he knew the village would never, ever be the same again.

when you call for help

when you are lost

forever more

at whatever cost

and the world will begin

exactly how it ends

The world was ending for him, but it was just beginning for them.

As his eyes fell shut, Kakashi could smile, because he knew the village was in good hands. He could smile, because he was finally going to see his teammates, his sensei, his father.

do you see the hills beneath the clouds

with stars as trails to lead you out?

It was funny.

He was dying.

And he felt happy.

please stay,

don't go.

i got you now.

are you curious?

here i am.

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Thank you for reading, even if you don't review (which I hope you do, anyways).

And as for the flashback thing, I decided I wouldn't give a name as to who is talking with Kakashi - I'll leave that open for you to decide!


End file.
